What is the Empower Youth4Food campaign?

On April 22nd 2021, the Empower Youth4Food campaign was launched. This campaign will initially run for two years (April 2021 – April 2023) and engage youth, knowledge institutions, government, private sectors and CSOs to address issues and create opportunities in the field of agriculture. Read in this article more on the campaign, what it consists of and where to find more information on the upcoming activities. 

 

Context
Countries in Southeast Asia face similar problems in modernizing food production and food security. Young people do not feel attracted to farming. They see farming as an old-fashioned sector not offering much future opportunities. As a result, the number of farmers is decreasing, and the average farmer is getting older. This does not support the introduction of new technologies or up-to-date production design in farming and food production. This is a reality reflected at all levels of education, especially for Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in agriculture in Southeast Asia. Teaching methodologies and curricula are lagging, and teachers are ageing. The agriculture sector in Southeast Asia needs the young generation to become more involved and shape a future for food production based on principles of sustainability.

Over the past decades, thousands of Southeast Asians have studied in the Netherlands, often graduating in agriculture related studies. NL alumni from Southeast Asia agreed to take an initiative to work together to identify examples and stories across the region that will help to show young people that agriculture and farming can be attractive and offer bright future prospects for an individual as well as for Southeast Asian societies as a whole.


Campaign
The target countries are the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Bangladesh.

The objectives of the campaign are as follows:

  • to improve the reputation of agriculture education and agricultural employment among young people in Southeast Asia.

  • to engage and further mobilise a large cross-section of the NL alumni network in Southeast Asia

  • to inspire the young generation in Southeast Asian countries to become more involved and shape a future for food production based on principles of sustainability

Partners
The Netherlands is the second largest producer and exporter of agricultural products in the world, supported by an extensive world class knowledge sector. The Netherlands is an important investor in the agricultural sector in Southeast Asia. A number of Netherlands’ related actors have therefore come together to join forces to launch the Empower Youth4Food Campaign that will contribute to sustainable food systems and nutrition security in Southeast Asia. 


Participating in the campaign are NL alumni associations and networks in the Southeast Asia region, the Netherlands Food Partnership (NFP), Icco-Cordaid, Agriterra, East West Seed, De Heus Animal Nutrition, Wageningen University and Research (WUR), Aeres, and Nuffic and its Netherlands Education Support Offices in Indonesia and Vietnam (Neso).

The 4 blocks of the campaign:

Career Opportunities
SEA virtual Job Fair, 6th of November 2021. Six countries will be covered: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Organized by Nuffic's Netherland Education Support Offices (NESO) and the participating business councils of the ASEAN Dutch Chamber Network (ADCN). 

Changemaker Challenge
NL alumni in Southeast Asia (SEA) play a significant and front-runner role in how countries in the region and the Netherlands are working on improving SEA’s food security and sustainability. The Changemaker Challenge will encourage these alumni to engage young students by taking inspiration from their experience of being educated in the Netherlands. How? By being a mentor for young students who are working on real-life business cases for Dutch agri-food companies and CSOs located in SEA, based on criteria of sustainability and innovation. The winners of the challenge will be awarded with prize money to turn their ideas into reality. Participating companies will get exposure and access to a network of talented students and NL alumni. In return, companies will bring in a relevant business case and contribute with some prize money.

Success Stories
Inspiring stories of NL alumni working in the field of agriculture, find them under the tab of Succes Stories. Read about succesful alumni in de ASEAN region and Bangladesh.

Events
Series of alumni talks and seminars with entrepreneurs, government officials, experts and professionals working in the field of agriculture (e.g. Inclusive and sustainable economic growth through agriculture; Fostering sustainable engagement of Southeast Asian youth in agriculture and food security; Climate smart agriculture; Digitalisation within agriculture)